Another drone attack on Komala raises fears that Tehran will intensify cross-border strikes following the US withdrawal from Iraq.

The Iranian Kurdish opposition group Komala said one of its bases in northern Iraq was targeted by drones overnight on October 17, marking another attack in a campaign against Kurdish opposition organizations since February 2026.

Kurdish groups fear Iran could escalate its operations following the withdrawal of US forces from Iraq on September 30. Since then, attacks have also targeted the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI) in Koya and Khabat, near Erbil.

An official and a security source told Rudaw English that “two drones launched from Iran struck a base belonging to the Iranian Kurdish opposition group Komala in Balisan, Erbil province.”

No casualties were reported, but Komala official Ali Ranjbari confirmed that buildings were damaged. Rudaw reported that “He said one drone struck the base, while the other hit a guard post. Separately, a security source in the Kurdistan Region confirmed the attack to Rudaw English, while Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency also reported the drone strikes,” Rudaw reported.

More than 1,000 attacks have targeted the Kurdistan Region since February 28, according to regional government figures. The total includes strikes against opposition camps, diplomatic facilities and infrastructure.

Rudaw connected the latest attack to rising tensions between Tehran and Washington in the Strait of Hormuz, reporting that “the latest strike comes amid rising tensions between Tehran and Washington in the Strait of Hormuz, where Iranian forces have stepped up pressure on commercial shipping, targeting more than a dozen vessels over the past two weeks.”

The strikes also reflect Iran’s continuing efforts to suppress Kurdish opposition activity in its northwestern provinces, which border Kurdish areas of northern Iraq.

No Kurdish uprising despite reports of US support

Reports in March 2026 suggested that the United States was supporting Iranian Kurdish opposition groups. However, no uprising followed. The PDKI has since said it will not send its Peshmerga fighters into Iran.

Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) President Nechirvan Barzani has also criticized Kurdish opposition groups, suggesting their conduct has contributed to attacks on the region.

Inside Iran, clashes between Iranian forces and Kurdish militants have intensified. Rudaw reported that “in western Iran, clashes between the IRGC and fighters from the Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK) have escalated in the Shaho mountain range in the Hawraman region over the past few days, with Iranian forces deploying heavy weaponry and drones to bombard areas where Kurdish militants maintain positions.”

The outlet added that “the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) reported that Iranian forces had continued shelling and drone attacks in the Shaho mountains, including areas around Daleh Marz village in Sarvabad county. Witnesses told the rights group that several explosions caused by suicide drones were heard in the Daleh Marz and Bareza Lang areas, while Iranian reconnaissance drones flew over the mountains.”

Iranian Kurdish opposition groups based in northern Iraq include the PDKI, Komala, the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK), PJAK and the Organization of Iranian Kurdistan Struggle, known as Khabat. Many fled Iran after the 1979 Islamic Revolution and subsequent clashes with the Islamic Republic.

The groups strengthened coordination in late 2025 and formed an alliance in early 2026, but have stopped short of launching an uprising. Iran’s recent operations have nevertheless raised concerns that Tehran could expand its activities inside Iraq following the US withdrawal.

Iran’s expanding missile and drone campaign

Iran has increasingly used missiles and drones against Kurdish opposition groups over the past decade. In September 2018, Iranian missiles struck PDKI headquarters near Koya, killing senior party members and others. Tehran launched another major wave of attacks in 2022 following protests triggered by Mahsa Amini’s death in Iranian custody.

In 2023, Baghdad and Tehran signed a security agreement aimed at disarming Iranian Kurdish opposition groups and relocating them away from the border.

Attacks escalated sharply after the United States and Israel began striking Iran on February 28, 2026. The reported total of more than 1,000 attacks across the Kurdistan Region highlights the scale of the security challenge, although not all strikes targeted Iranian Kurdish opposition groups.

The continuing attacks leave Kurdish organizations vulnerable and place the KRG in a difficult position as it seeks to maintain relations with Tehran while protecting refugees and opposition groups on its territory.

Further clashes involving groups such as PJAK could deepen instability. Statements from Erbil and the PDKI suggest that Kurdish leaders are increasingly concerned about the risk of wider escalation.